Yesterday had been, to say the least, very interesting for Zel. By chance, he had run into Sophie, and for whatever reason, he had managed to.. Discuss some of the major problems in his life. This of course, also inspired him to perhaps, talk to the headmaster. After all, it seemed like his problems were far more serious than he originally thought. Zel decided that it was best to just skip Maiko (that would be super awkward.) and go straight to Herschel Reid. He had heard rumors that Herschel was sympathetic to issues regarding lycanthropy, and that was why werewolves were even allowed to attend Hogwarts under close supervision.

Zelig cleared his throat and closed his eyes. He wasn’t feeling good. It felt like there was a knot in the pit of his stomach, and his hands were trembling. The poor guy did not look too healthy either. His  naturally pale skin held an unhealthy pallor, dark circles under his eyes were becoming a rather long term deal, and Zel had only lost weight ever since his transformation. With the very miniscule amounts that he ate during meals, combined with his pre-breakfast swims in the lake, his stomach looked caved in, and his ribs protruded. Although Zel wore layers and long-sleeved t-shirts as an attempt to hide it, it was still obvious that something was wrong.

He stared at the statue that marked the entrance to the Headmaster’s office, only to realize that he did not know the password.  Unfortunately, Zel was too nervous and shy to ask anybody what exactly the headmasters password was, and because he did not make an appointment, he felt like no one would have told him anyway.

So, he resolved to stand outside of the office, until the Headmaster noticed, or a teacher let him in.

After all, it was Saturday. He had all day to wait.

Herschel spotted the boy waiting outside of his office when started coming down the hall. He had gone down to have a look at the house points- curious to see who was ahead. Herschel was surprised that Ravenclaw was not doing any better, and equally surprised that Gryffindor seemed to be doing so well. The lions were usually a bit too mischevious to have such high points so early in the year. Even so, it wasn't even two weeks into the school year- Ravenclaw house had plenty of time to catch up and do themselves justice.

As he approached, Herschel recognized the boy outside of his office as Zel Trumble. Another one of his werewolf students for the year. The story was quite a tragic one, and Herschel pitied the young man because of it.

He wondered, though, if the Hufflepuff was here because he was having problems. Herschel had been very clear- with all of the werewolf students- if they were given any problems, hassled by anyone, to let him know. Though he had assumed that both Zel and the first year had kept their conditions to themselves, gossip traveled quickly in the castle. All it took was revealing a secret to one person and within a week every person seemed to know it.

"Good day, Mr. Trumble," Herschel greeted. Then he looked to the statue that guarded the entrance to his office. "Sherbert lemon!" The staircase which led to his office appeared. "Were you waiting for me?" Herschel asked. "If so, I hope not for very long. I went down to check on the house points. Please- come into the office!" he motioned Zel toward the staircase. "I'd like to hear about how your year has started off. Well, I hope!"

He was relieved that the Headmaster returned in such a timely matter. Headmaster Reid had visited his family before school started. He had met his mother, and his four younger siblings. His stepfather had been gone at the time, and he remembered the great lengths his mother went to in order to make herself appear to be a normal, stable woman. As usual, Garrett hadn’t been around, and Emeline was in holding.  Zel gave Herschel a weak smile, and walked up the staircase. He had never been inside this office before, and the size of it blew him away. A headmaster deserved such a grand office, but to Zel, it was nearly overwhelming.

The werewolf was unsure as to whether or not he should sit down, or just remain standing during the extent of the conversation. He had some important information to relay, and talking to Sophie the day before had inspired him to finally, talk about the seriousness of the situation with an adult. He knew that Sophie had connections, but maybe things could get done quicker if he also told someone else. It wasn’t like this time, he would have to relay his whole life story. Herschel already knew the gist of it.

“Don’t worry sir, I didn’t wait long.” He paused, “And… My year i-isn’t so great.” Zelig admitted, and just by taking one look at him, it would have been evident. During meals, the poor guy barely ate. He had dark, dark circles under his eyes, and despite wearing layers, the indentations of his ribs were visible under his clothing. As he had a tendency to swim in the lake every other morning or so, he was not eating nearly as much as he needed to for his tall frame. It was difficult to tell if his dark circles were due to malnutrition, or due to a lack of sleep. 

Now that he was here, Zel was beginning to feel hesitation. He knew that he need to talk, but part of him was getting cold feet. “I-I’m not being bullied or anything…” The Hufflepuff wanted to clarify that, before getting too deep in the conversation.

Herschel sat down behind his desk, giving the boy a careful look over as he stuttered- he had dark circles under his eyes, and Herschel wondered what the matter was. Almost right off the bat, however, Zel explained he wasn't being bullied. That was a relief to Herschel, and he motioned for the Hufflepuff to have a seat in one of the arm chairs across from his desk. "Please, make yourself comfortable," he said.

The headmaster summoned one of Hogwarts many house elves, and quietly requested a plate of snacks and some refreshments. A few moments later the house elf reappeared with a loud pop, with a tray of cakes and pastries along with a pot of tea. Herschel thanked the elf quietly, and then flicked his wand to clear space on his desk. He set down the tray, and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Please, help yourself Mr. Trumble. You certainly look like you could use a good snack." Or many warm, hearty meals. "Would you care for some tea?" he asked while he added a sugar cube to his own cup, along with a drop of honey and a splash of cream. Herschel stirred the warm liquid and took a sip, then sat back down in his chair. He plucked a danish from the plate and took a bite from the edge before setting it down on one of the small plates found on the tray.

"So your year isn't going very well?" Herschel asked, getting back to the apparent matter at hand. "Would you like to talk about it?" He assumed the boy would indeed like to talk- otherwise he wouldn't be here- but Herschel didn't want to push the hufflepuff into talking about anything he was comfortable discussing. "Perhaps I might be of some assistance?"

He nodded, and made his way over to the armchair. Although Zel sat all the way back in it, his legs not only hit the ground, but his knees were up higher than they should have been. He didn’t feel too physically uncomfortable in that chair, as he was used to his legs being too long for him to look normal sitting in most chairs. Zel was surprised when the house elf appeared with a mass amount of sweet pastries, and even tea. However, Zel wasn’t one for tea, he much preferred coffee.  “No thank you.” He said politely, giving Herschel a small, awkward, forced smile. However, he did grab himself a small cake to munch on.  It was true; he could use a small snack. It was just difficult for him to eat in front of large groups of people in times of stress.

“No, it’s not going well at all.” The lycan said softly, looking down at the cake in his hands. Eye contact was difficult to maintain, and he felt almost as if it would be disrespectful to look directly at Herschel.  “You kn-know how I got bitten in July?” Zel asked rhetorically. Of course he knew, he talked to his family. “Emeline’s in holding and… I… I don’t think it’s her fault. I know it’s not her fault.” The Hufflepuff took a deep breath as an attempt to calm himself. “Sophie thinks that Emeline is safer there, but.. She shouldn’t be there in the first place.” Not taking wolfsbane was a serious matter, and in most situations, she would have belonged there. Zel was having difficulty voicing those reasons, however. 

“I… I think it was my mom’s fault. Garrett wasn’t around to stop her and she doesn’t.. She doesn’t listen to the rest of us.” He thought it was his mother’s fault, but to be honest, he had no absolute proof. He nervously started picking at his cake, and took small little nibbles off of the broken bits. Zel’s hands began to shake too much, so she had to put his cake down on a plate.

Though the boy did not accept Herschel's offer for tea, he did at least choose one of the snacks to munch on. Hopefully he would eat more than that for the rest of the day. He might have to ask the head of Hufflepuff to keep an eye on Mr. Trumble to make sure he was taking adequate care of himself. He did not want the family to think that Hogwarts was mistreating their son.

Herschel nodded- "Yes, I'm aware of the circumstances," he responded, but allowed Zel to continue talking. He mentioned that his sister was in holding for having attacked him- something that did not surprise Herschel. What did surprise him was Trumble stating he did not think that it was his sister's fault.

Who was Garret? What did he mean he wasn't around to stop his mom? Herschel arched a curious brow, and took a long drink from his cup of tea, studying the boy over the brim of the glass. Obviously this situation was bothering him quite a bit. It was only natural, the headmaster supposed. Being attacked by someone in your family had to be hard, and instead of being angry at his sister it seemed that the Hufflepuff felt bad for her.

"I don't believe I quite understand the situation you are trying to describe, Mr. Trumble. How is it your mother's fault?" he asked. "What do you mean she doesn't listen to the rest of you? And who is Garrett?"

Of course he didn’t meet Garrett, and he was a new headmaster, so he would know next to nothing about Zel’s family. He felt rude for not explaining thoroughly. Zel blushed a little, and tried to gather his thoughts before he attempted to speak again. He was glad that Herschel was showing some interest, and it was easier that he already knew the circumstances, to an extent. Zel didn’t have to relay everything, but maybe provide a few more details that added to what Herschel already knew.

“Well, my mom.” Zel shook his head. He hated speaking ill of anyone in his family, but in this situation, it couldn’t be helped. “After dad died, she kind of… Lost it. She resents my sister, and…” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth. “She blames Emeline for dad dying, so she’s always quick to get angry at my sister.”  He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. What if Herschel didn’t believe him? What if he thought Zel was just lying, so he could get his sister out? He could feel his palms getting sweaty from the sheer stress of talking about it. 

“Oh.. Garrett is my older brother. Even though he’s a squib, he looks and acts the most like my dad.. And my mom listens to him. If he tells her not to do something, she won’t do it. She listens to him better than she listens to any of us, or to my stepdad.” Zel pitied his stepfather. His mother ended up marrying a fellow that Garrett could relate to, in the sense that they were both nonmagic, from magic families. She thought it would have been good for Garrett, and good for her children to have another father in their lives.

Zel hesitated. “If Emeline does something that angers my mom, my mom likes to take… Drastic measures. She threatens to withhold wolfsbane, and sometimes she actually does it.” His whole bdoy was shaking now, and it took everything in his power to keep from trying. “I know Emeline is an adult, but… She has no power. She’s a werewolf, and has been treated like she didn’t deserve to be treated like a normal witch. She can’t find a job, so she has to live with my mom.”

He felt relieved, awkward, and nervous about releasing all of this personal information to Herschel. He wanted to know if the headmaster could help in some way, but he didn't know quite how to ask for help.

Herschel set down his cup when the Hufflepuff finally began to elaborate on what was bothering him. He steepled his fingers as he leaned forward on the desk, paying close attention to what was being said. Garrett was his brother- a squib. It was sad to hear that their mother blamed his sister for their father's death, and that she would take such drastic measures against the girl. It was something that Herschel could not imagine a parent doing, and he now understood why Miss Flickwick would have told Trumble that his sister was safer at the ministry.

"Withholding your sister's wolfsbane is a crime," he finally stated. "And it is something that your family should have reported to the ministry if it has happened in the past." Herschel did not mean to sound as though he was blaming Zel- that was not his intent- but he was always very honest with his students, preferring to treat the older ones like the adults they were soon to be, rather than coddling them. His job was to prepare young witches and wizards to face the world, and coddling was not a part of that world.

"Do you know whether or not this was explained to the ministry when they apprehended your sister for the attack?" Herschel asked. "They should be aware of the circumstances as a whole surrounding the situation. If your sister informed them, but there is nobody to corroborate her story, there is a chance they might have suspected your sister of lying. The idea of someone's parent withholding their wolfsbane is a hard one to believe." Yet Herschel did believe the boy, he had no reason to lie. Not to him. Because there was very little Herschel could do to help the situation- he had no ties in the RCMC.

"I do believe that if you are very worried about your sister's safety, the best thing to do would be to alert the werewolf unit about what has happened. They could change regulations and require your sister to report to the ministry every full moon. At that point, if she does not show up- especially if your mother refuses to allow her- they can go to your home and get her."

He paused for a moment, studying the boy. He was already in a fragile state, and Herschel did not want to make matters worse- but this was a serious offense- a fact that Trumble needed to understand fully before explaining the situation to the proper authorities. "You do need to be aware, prior to explaining the full story, that if your mother has indeed done these things there is a very high chance she will find herself in legal trouble for having done so. Your mother could become incarcerated herself, or a number of various other consequences."

Everything Herschel said, of course, was absolutely right. He was glad that he recognized that withholding wolfsbane was a crime, and he needed someone to just confirm that, so Zel could convince himself that his mother was totally in the wrong. He already knew that his mother was in the wrong, but because she was his mother, and because he loved her, he was having a difficult time placing blame completely on her. After all, Zel was the one who chose to check in on Emeline. Granted, he had been unaware of his mother withholding wolfsbane at the time. Zel thought that he should have assumed it either way, but he simply did not know.

Zel knew it should have been reported, but he had no idea who to even report it to. However, he was not going to voice that thought, because he instantly put the blame on himself. He was the oldest male in the house now, and he should have taken the responsibility that Garrett wouldn’t take, and that Emeline simply couldn’t take. “I… I think Emeline might have tried to explain it.” He frowned, “But of course my mom would deny it. My little siblings are too scared to say anything, and George isn’t around enough to be a reliable source of information.”  He was growing more comfortable with talking to Headmaster Reid about this. It was almost liberating to be able to talk to an adult about this.

“How do I contact them? Who is the person I need to send an owl to?” Zel didn’t have an owl, but he was sure that no one would be angry if he used one of the school owls. That was what they were for, wasn’t it?

When Herschel brought up that Zel’s mother may be incarcerated, his face darkened. “Headmaster Reid,” He said strongly, “That is exactly what I want to happen.” Zel felt like his mother was too mentally unfit to be a parent, and that his stepfather would be able to take care of the younger siblings well enough. If all else failed, Garrett was a legal adult, and could take care of the younger kids as well. “My mother is not fit to be a parent. She may have been in the past, but not anymore.”

"Considering the situation, I would presume an owl to the Werewolf unit of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures along with an owl to the Aurors would be the first place to start. I admit I am not overly familiar with werewolf related laws, or whose jurisdiction that would be." It had to be very stressful for the boy to be put into a situation where he had choose who was more important to protect- his mother or his sister. Herschel did not envy him.

"I do not know what will happen after you send such a letter. An investigation, more than likely, the outcome of which would depend on all parties being truthful. Your siblings will likely be questioned whether they are brave enough to speak out or not."

Herschel took another bite from his danish and washed it down with another drink of tea. "It is something best taken care of sooner rather than later. Your year is going to be difficult enough, given the circumstances, without having troubles like this hanging over your head, Mr. Trumble. Next year will be your NEWTs, and then graduation. This is a pivotal year to that. Preparing for the tests by learning the material, participating in the entire culture of the tournament, and adjusting to your new condition... It is a lot to process on its own."

"You mentioned an older brother," he continued. "Perhaps it would be best if he sent off the appropriate letters and you could participate in whatever inquiries that follow? It might relieve some of the stress and pressure you are feeling."

He was glad that Herschel was being so reasonable, and understanding. It made his respect grow for the new Headmaster. After all, being a Headmaster was not easy, and Reid was handling it with grace. Zel tried to take note of the places to send owls to. He knew Sophie was going to do her best to try to help, but he wanted to do as much as he could, without relying on those who were not family. “Thank you, sir.” He said softly, “And I’m prepared for…. All of this.” Zel knew he was going to have a lot of stress,  but there were things he didn’t have to be involved in, like the tournament. He could cut out all social interaction and focus on his studies.

“Garrett.. He…” Zel hesitated, “He and his fiancé are too busy getting their flat ready for a baby, and I don’t think he…. I don’t think he’ll be up to it. Garrett would love to, but he’s also not as close to Emeline as I am.” Zel was afraid that if Garrett sent out the owls, no one would take him seriously, because he was a squib. Garrett was also living a muggle life, and doing muggle work. He didn’t want much to do with the wizarding world, except to deal with his family. And that was it. “He’s a squib, he… He is really uncomfortable when it comes to magic. His fiancé is a muggle, and he wants to leave things uncomplicated.”

Because Garrett effectively gave up all responsibility, the responsibility was on Zel’s shoulders. Partially by choice, and partially because he was extremely family oriented, and would do just about anything to help him. He hated having to choose between his mother and his sister, but it was an easy choice. He just hated the resentment his mother would feel towards him, and how much his little siblings would miss their mother if she was incarcerated.

"Do you ever have... Family problems?" Zel knew it was a personal question, but he was curious. He also wanted to feel some sense of normalcy, as if all families were dysfunctional, not just his.

Herschel admired that the young man was more concerned with protecting his family than himself. It was a shame that the young were rarely ever innocent anymore. "I can certainly understand your concern for your brother, Mr. Trumble, and it is most admirable. If you believe that this a responsibility which rests squarely on your shoulders, I have no doubt that you are capable of bearing it."

He readjusted in his seat when the Hufflepuff asked whether he had family problems of his own. That was a very personal question, and not one which he was inclined to answer with full disclosure. It wasn't the sort of question you asked your headmaster. Even so, anyone who was a pureblood could get hold of Herschel's family history just by asking a parent. Anytime someone was shunned by their family or the pureblood society it was remembered and often told over and over as a lesson to be learned.

"Everyone has family problems," Herschel finally answered carefully. "You are not alone. But yes- I have them. Though I do not think it appropriate to go into detail with you about what they are. The short version, which should explain everything to you, is that I come from a very traditional pureblood family, yet my son married a muggleborn. I think she is a lovely woman, and am glad to have her as a part of my family- though others might disagree." Most others would hate Herschel's only son for ruining the family name. There were no others from Reid to carry on the line. Generations of hard work ruined by one.

"No family is perfect, Mr. Trumble. Some just seem to have more problems than others. Even so, it is a normal part of growing up. You can choose to either fall victim to those familial problems, or to rise above them and become a better person for all the trouble. I hope that you will choose to do the latter. Nobody should be a victim of circumstance if they are perfectly capable of being better than where they came from."

He was glad to get some words of encouragement, and he greatly approved of Herschel as a headmaster. He was understanding, no-nonsense, and honest. He seemed to know the right words to say, in such a trying situation. Zel made a mental note of this, and decided that Herschel would be a more preferable staff member to go to in times of need.

The counselor was a nice woman, but because Zel already knew her fairly well, it would have simply been awkward going to her when she was the ex fiancée of his older brother. Zel was sure that there were teachers that he could probably go to for help, but he had yet to trust any of them enough. Hagrid might have been a good choice, since Care of Magical Creatures was Zel’s best class. However, the half-giant had his way of traumatizing Zel without intending to.

“Your family should be happy for your son… I mean, he found love. It’s not exactly an easy thing to find, you know..” Zel frowned, “And if she’s a good person, it’s not really their business…” He understood how important lineage was to purebloods, but he was from a family who did not care about whether or not you had muggles or squibs in the family. People were people, and therefore should be treated equally.

He let out a sigh, “I won’t become a victim of circumstance, sir. My sister and I deserve better than that.” Despite the fact that Zel felt a deep sense of self-hatred, it didn’t mean that his strong werewolf equality beliefs had been compromised. “Just because.. My mom is crazy doesn’t mean I have to be.” The Hufflepuff let out a nervous laugh.

Herschel shifted again when the Hufflepuff stated his family should be happy for his son- it was an uncomfortable subject to be discussing with a student, and he was not going to continue talking about it. Family matters were something to be kept private, and he had only divulged the information in the hopes of making Mr. Trumble understand that every family had their problems. He was not alone.

"You are very correct," he told the boy, "you and your sister do deserve better than that. Life is hard for werewolves, it always has been, and it will be for a very long time. There have been great strides, but things are still far from being good for them." Herschel doubted that werewolves ever would be truly equal in the eyes of society. They were different from regular witches and wizards- that was the simple fact of the matter- and much of that age old legislature would never be changed.

"Send off the appropriate owls," he said to Zel. "Take the steps that you need to take to correct the situation and to protect your sister. If it is indeed not her fault, then there is no need for her to be punished unfairly. What has happened is no trivial thing. The consequences for werewolves thought to be out of line are harsh. Hefty fines and short term incarceration are the least of your worries or your sister's worries." He didn't want to scare the Hufflepuff, but he did not want to lie or sugar coat things either.

"I know it is much easier said than done, but it is best not to over worry yourself. You look a little worse for wear, Mr. Trumble, and you need to be sure that you are taking care of yourself. Neglecting your own physical and mental health is not going to help yourself, your sister, or the rest of your family. You need to be strong, physically fit, and mentally capable to face this problem head on. Over stressing yourself about the problem is not going to solve it, nor make it easier to solve." It was simple logic, really.